Adult ADHD

Hi there everyone..

I am seeking information about both ADHD and also child ADHD as my son 4 1/2 has been diagnosed but no meds as yet and due to his diagnosis I took my self off to the Psychiatrist and was also diagnosed. I am trialling Dexamphetamine to see what benefits it has for me so I can better assess how it would affect my son. All this however has led to a whole heap of catch 22 type questions that I am hoping anyone who has been through late diagnosis and starting meds but also from parents who have medicated their ADHD children for comment on these questions

Meds in late Diagnosis questions

* Did you find you lost skills you had acquired by being ADHD once you medicated?
* Did life change a lot for you? For better or worse?
* Did you have many side effects from the meds and what sort?

Meds in your Children

* Do you medicate the whole time?
* If not the whole time what are the ups and downs of this?
* If you don't medicate all the time does your child retain skills they have learnt when medicated and use these or is it all out the window without the Meds?

I have found I am quite different since medicating but trying to work out if this is a blessing or a curse is proving very difficult. I am also trying to work out that if you are medicated from early life you probably don't know that life is any different but when you give one thing up for another perhaps that is why I have all these questions.

Thanks for any help or opinions in advance.

Cheers
Dee

I am selfdiagnosed add. I have honestly wondered about being diagnosed as an adult & weather it'd be worth it. But by adulthood most people have learnt their strengths & weaknesses & how to cope/compensate.
I do wonder if I'd have more motivation & find it easier with study/work.

Dd2 is 9, diagnised at 6, first mediated at 7 with ritalin. The prefer you not to medicate while not at school due to the fact it can be an appetite suppressant. But I've been ok'd to medicate through holidays as dd eats like a horse & her growth/weight gain is steady.

I asked to medicate through holidays due to her emotional side coming off & going on meds. She's an emotional wreck during the first 2-4 weeks. Crying, yelling, fighting, arguing, throwing things. She only ever is like this in the few weeks we stop/start meds. 2 week holidays & the 2-4 weeks after are a mess. Every term. And that's almost half the term sometimes.

I have never looked back since medicating though. That was the best decision I made for her. She received the endeavour award at school a few weeks ago. They give the award to the one member of the grade who's worked the hardest & come the furthest. I still tear up with pride when I think about it :) she spent 6 months learning next to nothing & now, she's not top of the class, but she's come so far.

I wish my mum had diagnosed me as a kid. But I was the quiet day dreamer. Under the radar. Back then it was only the kids who drew attention to themselves. Even now so many people have no idea what add/adhd actually is.

Thanks for your reply Clover..

Your pride in your daughter"s achievements brought a tear to my eye. I dream that this will be the same for my son when we start the meds trial in term two this year. He will be in Prep and we wanted to do a whole term before starting the drugs to be able to compare. Being diagnosed and trying the medication has been extremely eye opening. The very first tablet I took was amazing, there was a quiet inside my head that has never been that was before. It was only by taking that tablet that I got to see just how chaotic my thoughts really are. A couple of months down the track there are still many upsides to being on the meds, like so much more patience with my children as well as an ability to sit with them to play, and truly be present and not ten thoughts ahead of myself. My downside is that I sort of miss the chaos of those thoughts and the colour they have brought into my life. A big part of me is the chaos. This is why I'm seeking others experiences I guess, to try and sort the ups from the downs.

Cheers
Dee